Keith’s plans go awry in semifinal

Saturday

The Cougars, making their debut in the Class 1A state boys soccer tournament, fell to Waterloo Gibault 2-1 in Friday’s semifinal at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium at North Central College.

Gibualt, a three-time Class 1A state champion, scored the game’s first goal on a corner kick and later scored the game-winner on a free kick.

“Our weaknesses this season have been our free kicks and corner kicks,” Keith senior Luis Morales said. “We haven’t been good in defending them. It’s something we have been working on.”

The Cougars (22-3), who will play Peoria Christian in today’s 5:30 p.m. third-place match, will be without freshman midfielder Rafi Pelayo, who received a red card during the second-half of the Gibualt game.

Gibault’s Griffin Wielgus, the Hawks leading goal scorer, also received a red card. Wieglus and Pelayo were each other’s marks and the two collided on a play and a tussle ensued.

The game was even at 1-1, but once the altercation occurred, both sides had to play with 10 players.

“Mistakes kind of cost of us,” said Morales, who scored his team’s lone goal in the first half.

Gibault (11-14), which entered with only 10 wins on the season, pulled ahead with nine minutes left on Sean McFarland’s goal.

McFarland, who was given a yellow card three minutes earlier, shot in the goal past Keith’s backup goalkeeper Chris Shiro.

McFarland’s shot came after a Zach Posey foul kick.

“It was an all-heart win,” said Gibault coach Jim Corsi, whose team will play Timothy Christian in the 7:30 p.m. final. “They (Keith) were more skilled than us and quicker on their feet. They were good.”

The Cougars, who claimed the first Northeastern Athletic Conference boys soccer title and since added a regional and sectional championship, were trying to bring home the school’s first IHSA state title in any sport.

In 2007, Keith’s volleyball team finished second.

“We are going to do our best and go for a win,” Morales said of their third-place title match against Peoria Christian. “It’s been a big accomplishment for us to get here. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a different day.”

Staff writer Brenda Young can be reached at 815-987-1388 or byoung@rrstar.com.

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